Export-Import Bank* - Updated

An * indicates that this agency was
not required to develop a Plan, but did.

Version 1.1 of the Export-Import Bank’s (Ex-Im Bank) Open
Government Plan demonstrates a commitment to responding to external feed back
through the dramatic improvement of their policy following the informal
comments provided during this audit. The revised plan is a strong road-map with
far better developed milestones, better language relating to the channels for
external feedback, and a far more extensive detailing of ongoing and future
projects.

The plan would be further strengthened by paying thoughtful attention to two
major areas; the articulation of internal policies, and a clearly articulated
plan for enhancing FOIA responsiveness. The plan is almost entirely devoid of
any articulation of the policies behind most processes, with the current policy
for FOIA fast-track being the primary exception. None of the internal processes
for improvement are laid out, and there is no guarantee that the channels for
feedback will correlate to positive results.

The plan would also be strengthened by a more thorough exploration of the
entities’ plan for improving FOIA responsiveness. The Plan states that by
providing more information via an online portal, that inherently the volume of
FOIA requests will decrease, and thus the back-log will be solved. However,
there is no evidence to suggest that this will occur, or that the opposite will
be avoided (greater public visibility encouraging a greater volume of FOIA
requests). More importantly, there is no policy articulated for ensuring that
these measures, and the impact of the Plan, will actually correspond to
improved FOIA responsiveness.

If
you any think part of the agency's plan is impressive, or you have concrete
suggestions on how the agency could improve its plan, please share your ideas
with us using the form at the bottom of the page.